Our enemies must be laughing

[kix]

   That's right.First we have a president that is empowered to invade 2 different countries but is helpless against BIG oil which is gouging the American public to a hard old finish and only causes prices to rise,especially food,because of fuel costs. Then,because of fuel costs,U.S. automakers took a hit and have to be bailed out.Now,we have a president that seems content with dis-arming all of us law-abiding citizens. Shall I go on? Please let me. Now we have some jerk that bilks hard working citizens out of 50 billion+ dollars.50 billion! Wouldn't 100 million been enough to ''squeak" by on? And now,executives and CEO's of AIG are getting up to 4 million of bonuses when they ran the company into the ground. It's no wonder we haven't been attacked recently;our enemies are simply waiting till we destroy our self from within.As a proud American I am rather embarassed,this is the best we can show the world? You know,I would be laughing too.  Kix

[Cabin4]

They must be laughing in the White House then.

[Redtail1949]

You bet they are. They are taking it all it and planning to test this pack of wimps soon.

[flintlock]

I used to worry about China coming over here and taking over...Then I thought, "We send them so much money why would they"...

Now...I just don't know...I've worked for 30 years, started a 401k in 1985, have property that I bought in the 80s on the Outer Banks, started my own business almost 20 years ago...
Yesterday I finally came to the realization that if the business was going to survive then I was going to have to withdraw money from the 401k to keep it afloat...

So at 53, I'm starting over...Again...

Why we have politicians running this Country instead of business men, I'll never know...

[magooch]

I'm kind of wondering how you can pick between politicians and business types when talking about virtues.  I don't believe all politicians are inherently bad, nor are business people, but there seems to be a crop of them around these days that never heard of the word, "ethics."

There's no way that I can begin to understand what the heck went on at that AIG place, but they must have had some really super salesmen, or some really dumb clients.  I don't really give a darn, but it just ain't right to stick the taxpayers with the mess they've created.  There's got to be a better way.

[SHOOTALL]

magooch most politicans are lawyers , most business men aren't .
To me that makes the "PICK" easy .

[Dixie Dude]

The last lawyer that was governor of Alabama (a Democrat) had to go to jail for ethics violations.  We have a businessman now (a Republican) and the state has done much better. 

[JimFromTN]

I used to worry about China coming over here and taking over...Then I thought, "We send them so much money why would they"...

Now...I just don't know...I've worked for 30 years, started a 401k in 1985, have property that I bought in the 80s on the Outer Banks, started my own business almost 20 years ago...
Yesterday I finally came to the realization that if the business was going to survive then I was going to have to withdraw money from the 401k to keep it afloat...

So at 53, I'm starting over...Again...

Why we have politicians running this Country instead of business men, I'll never know...

The Chinese are buying up all of our real estate.  I was listening to NPR a couple of weeks ago and they had a piece about the groups of Chinese comming over and buying up beach front homes.  First of all, I thought these people were suppose to be poor because of communism.  I guess they finally figured something out.  Secondly, I bet you we can't legally buy land in China, why should they be able to buy land here.  We can't buy land in Mexico yet we let mexicans buy land here.  Everything in this country is for sale to anyone who has the cash.

As far as why politicians run the country rather than businessmen, look at the stock market.  Look at AIG and the bonuses.  Look at the car companies and how they are losing billions and yet their executives fly around in private jets.  The businessmen are no better than the politicians.  The problem is that there is no such thing as honest businessmen, politicians, or heads of church for that matter.  Anytime you are dealing with money and power, greed rules.

[SHOOTALL]

not all the time , many take perks to avoid taxes . when you get taxed at 40-50 % you have to get more to retain what you should have gotten in the first place .
As far as business man vs. politican ~ if business men had been in charge all along maybe we would still own the canal, still not have sold machines to China that allowed them to make guidence systems for weapons that can now hit us , maybe we would be using our own oil instead of being screwed by others , maybe wealfare would not exist as we know it , etc. etc. etc.

[lrs]

They probably are. 
I'm tempted to remind everyone how the nazi's and japanese empire once laughed at us as well.
However that was then, and this is now.
Times are different now, and I think they can laugh w/o having much to fear.

[Cabin4]

I have met the enemy of the American people. They are in the White House.

[lrs]

Well, they are laughing at us.

[slim rem 7]

havn t seen an man come out of the white house since reagan..
 that job is not one id have anything to do with..in obama case ,i kinda hope he is frustated an unpopular when he gets out..i have a bad feeling this guy could get on a roll an use his blackness to rewrite the dos an don ts of the presidency.. hope im just wrong. slim

[ncsurveyor]

Yesterday I finally came to the realization that if the business was going to survive then I was going to have to withdraw money from the 401k to keep it afloat...

Sorry, bro.  But you better look at the Governors new plan.  She plans on raising business licensing and registration taxes in order to fund her big state government.

My yearly professional "privilege" license fee will go up 400% !

[Dixie Dude]

Shootall, you are right about perks.  In my company, the CEO, Pres, etc, get a maximum of about $200,000 salary because of taxes.  If the company does well, they get a bonus, but it is in stock.  The stock is usually put into a retirement account.  Most retire between 55 and 60 depending on how much stock they have.  Bonuses if cash are usually paid on the basis of how the a company has done and this is on top of their salary.  If a person makes above about $200,000-$250,000 they have to pay about 45% I think in Federal tax not counting state tax.  So thus the bonus.  Most of the time the big dogs don't get into that possition until their 40's and 50's anyway so they earn a lot in a short time, 10 years or so, then they retire early, unless they own the company. 

[WylieKy]

Why we have politicians running this Country instead of business men, I'll never know...

The politicians are doing exactly what the business men hired them to do.

By business men, I do not mean hard working individuals like youself.  I mean the guys that are flown to work in helicopters.

[JimFromTN]

not all the time , many take perks to avoid taxes . when you get taxed at 40-50 % you have to get more to retain what you should have gotten in the first place .
As far as business man vs. politican ~ if business men had been in charge all along maybe we would still own the canal, still not have sold machines to China that allowed them to make guidence systems for weapons that can now hit us , maybe we would be using our own oil instead of being screwed by others , maybe wealfare would not exist as we know it , etc. etc. etc.

The chinese wasted their money buying our guidence systems.  There is no way they are going to bomb their own real estate.  Its worth allot more to them in the condition its in now.

[SHOOTALL]

they got ball bearing production machines when Clinton was pres. Which they needed to make their systems accurate . Now that said guess where most of the bearings for sale here come from now ?